Two of the key indicator discoveries of this period include the rocket and the computer. Rockets often lead to peaceful applications including space flight and fireworks, but also can lead to a variety of destructive weaponry and ranged explosives. Computers revolutionize most societies bringing about an information revolution as increasingly difficult intellectual processes can be streamlined and simplified through the processing capabilities of increasingly advanced electronics.

NEWS: With the edge of space being explored and mastered, the first communications satellites revolutionize world communications networks. Processors turn older analog systems into more advanced digital ones. Voice recording technologies proliferate. Communication and entertainment technologies grow as never before. Early processor technologies lead to worldwide electronic communications networks often called worldnets or internets. Telecommunications satellites.

LARGE SCALE POWER: Hydrocarbon-burning power plants dominate many worlds, but others master the art of creating nuclear fission or even very early fusion power plants. Other societies choose to use environmentally friendly power generation methods such as photovoltaics (solar), wind generators, garbage burners, tide generators, and/or hydroelectric dams despite what are often much lesser efficiencies and higher costs. Other more exotic power generation methods exist.

AIR: Aircraft become increasingly sophisticated and the jet engine is usually mastered by this technological epoch. Supersonic flight becomes possible within an atmosphere.

SPACE: Rockets and other flying apparatuses probe the edge of the atmosphere and some even enter low space orbit. Such soceities can reliably reach orbit. The most advanced societies explore the stellar system.

FTL: The first prototype jump drive, an FTL engine, makes interplanetary colonization into a near-time operation instead of a major, multi-decade endeavor requiring enormous expenditure of resources. In many cases, FTL drives allow later colonists to lap the colonists of earlier STLsleeper and generation ships. The more advanced societies can build jump drives that meet the Imperial standards for Model-A, Model-B, Model-C, and Model-D type FTL engines.

MANUFACTURING: Mid-tech manufacturing begins to use processors and robotics to reduce previous dependence on cheap labor. Processors allow for increasingly exact machined materials to be created and most societies become curious about the depths of space beyond one’s terrestrial biosphere. The most advanced societies in this range explore their star systems developing efficient rocket and spacecraft. Many develop efficient ion engines and/or other kinds of spacecraft propulsion technologies. With access to space comes Zero-G manufacturing, the earliest asteroid belt mining, and eventually resource mining within the Oorts.

COMPUTERS: Programmable computers come into vogue as the analog is replaced by the digital. Transistors make way for microchips; desktop processors soon become a feature of home, business, and school. Massive parallel processors fill entire rooms and supersede earlier technologies. The first supercomputers can often beat even expert humans at games like chess due to phenomenal calculating abilities and vast memory banks. Photonic and gravitic energy transmission as well as bio-computing replace many of the earlier generations of electronics. Voice-activated processors are more user-friendly than ever before. Many societies can build processors that meet the Imperial standards for Model/2, Model/2bis, and even Model/3 processors.

DATA STORAGE: No information yet available.

ROBOTICS: Robots lack decision-making capability, and are usually referred to as automatons rather than robots proper. Some of the computing capabilities can create a semblance of thought with massive menus and decision trees. Nevertheless, few sophonts would mistake them for biological conventional life.

GOVERNMENT: Information age societies can harness the power of the processor to create utopias or dystopias. Massive, accurate recordkeeping can track every citizen to beneficent or maleficent ends. Electronic democracies are experimented with by a few societies, regularly holding massive, near-global plebiscites. The needs of space exploration often create greater cooperation among the balkanized nations of worlds that are not yet unified. United and unified worlds begin to form world-states. World-states are global governments, which overcome balkanization, can effectively manage planetary resources, and set worldwide policy.

STRUCTURES: Metropolises continue to grow in size, sometimes covering entire seaboards greatly proliferating. Giant skyscraper jungles dominate many urban environments, and some of the more advanced societies develop the first prototype arcologies. Megacities go from being isolated examples to becoming commonplace. Cities can be built in tougher environments such as jungles, permafrost plains, underwater, and rougher terrain.

Some of the most advanced societies of this epoch build smaller orbital cities and explore their star system and develop colonies on satellites and other planets within their system. Some develop early space stations, often toroidal spinning environments, which can house thousands or even tens of thousands. Zero-G manufacturing becomes increasingly valued. The technologies needed to sustain life in space or slowly mastered including closed-system recycling, gravity compensation, bone density management, power generation, and many other technologies. Some of the early space stations fuel cheaper exploration of the solar system and beyond.

ENVIRONMENTS: It is possible to reach other worlds in the same star system, although terraforming or full colonization are not possible.

TACTICAL COMBAT: Large militaries armed with processor-enabled weapons make global warfare a reality. Command and control are greatly enhanced by processor networks and orbital satellite coordination. Some of the more advanced societies even develop practical laser weaponry. However, most stick with the older and more reliable technology of projectile firearms including the assault rifle and the first ACR’s. Mechanized warfare creates a plethora of martial vehicles that range across every possible environment on a world, from land, to sea, to air, and even beyond into space.

The advent of advanced processors and electronics allow for world nets, post-industrial learning, adaptive learning, and a variety of technologies that allow for exponential proliferation of intellectual curiosity and knowledge.

Most sophonts realize that space is the final frontier and after experimenting with system colonies send out new colonies to distant stars, often using STL sleeper or generation ships. Some more advanced societies develop prototype FTLJump Drives and colonize the distance stars at a much faster rate than their NAFAL cousins.

Many minor races stagnate at this level as interstellar merchants can bring them more technologically advanced goods, obviating the need to better understand and master the knowledge required to produce more advanced goods.

The following sophont species are known to possess technical mastery within these technological limits: